The European Union’s (EU’s) position on the peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia is clear: secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and in Europe. This entails a peace deal that recognizes the sovereignty of Ukraine, and which does not reward Russia’s illegal occupation, which violates the UN Charter. The legitimisation of the undermining of borders today would open the door to more wars tomorrow. The EU supports a peace agreement grounded in liberal principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the right to self-defence. Upholding these principles means that there can be “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine”. It also means that negotiations must focus on what Russia, the aggressor, must do, not on what Ukraine, the victim, must sacrifice.
Peace in Ukraine is a question of Europe’s security. Europe cannot allow Russia to illegally seize territory on our doorstep. Therefore, any lasting peace must recognize Europe’s central role. Rushing a peace deal that sidelines key partners would be both irresponsible and dangerously short-sighted. Furthermore, it would compromise Ukraine’s democratic choice of a European future. More than three years after applying for EU membership, public support remains overwhelming. A recent study by the International Republican Institute shows that around 75% of Ukrainians continue to back EU membership. In Marsden’s article she claims that the EU is trying to control Ukraine, but this clearly misrepresents reality. The EU is not imposing itself, it is responding to and welcoming Ukraine’s own sovereign choice. The EU stands with Ukraine not as a patron, but as a partner, committed to a longterm peace that protects Ukraine and the rest of Europe from Russia’s aggression.
In her article, Marsden further claims that EU leaders are banking on a war economy, but this is a fundamental misreading of Europe’s actions. The recent increases in European defence spending and military coordination are not opportunistic manoeuvres, but reactive and necessary measures. They exist because Russia has shown that in Europe, borders can still be challenged by force. Europe must be able to defend itself from Russia. In the EU, we are not banking on a war economy, we are banking on a future free from the threat of Russian aggressions.
And our commitment is clear. The EU and EU Member States remain the largest contributor of aid to Ukraine, providing €187.3 billion in financial, military, humanitarian, and refugee assistance supporting those on the run from Putin’s army. In addition, the European Council has taken the decisive step of committing to fund Ukraine’s financial needs for 2026 and 2027. This support is not intended to rest solely on European taxpayers. The European Commission has presented concrete options, including the use of frozen Russian assets, to ensure that Russia bears responsibility for the war it initiated. Beyond military contributions the EU countries has mobilised €2.3 billion, and is aiming to unlock up to €10 billion in investments to rebuild homes, reopen hospitals, revive businesses, and secure energy.
The EU’s commitment to a resilient and prosperous Ukraine will endure beyond the war.
The efforts of Ukraine, the EU, and our partners are delivering clear and positive results. Russia’s 2025 summer offensive failed, and US- and EU-imposed sanctions are already taking a heavy toll on the Russian economy shrinking energy revenues, depleting resources, and draining manpower. On December 3, the EU took another decisive step by provisionally agreeing on clear deadlines to permanently halt imports of Russian gas and advancing plans to phase out Russian oil. The notion by some commentators that Ukraine is “losing” is flatly false. If Russia could conquer Ukraine militarily, it would have done so by now. Putin cannot achieve his goals on the battlefield, which is why the EU is intensifying pressure through sanctions and sustained military and financial support to Ukraine.
The EU welcomes the new momentum the US has brought in the peace negotiations. We all share the same goal: to end this war. But any serious discussion of peace must begin with honesty. There is one aggressor and one victim. Lasting peace must recognize the will of the Ukrainian people. The first and indispensable step of peace must be an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. Yet, there are currently no credible indications that Russia is prepared to take this step. On the contrary, Russia is not winding down its war machine, it is accelerating it. We must move from a situation in which Russia merely pretends to negotiate to one in which it is genuinely ready to negotiate. That requires sustained pressure, unity, and resolve from Europe, the US, and its partners.
